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Quads / ATV

Anyone hunt with a quad? I have been a die hard Honda guy for about 15 years, but lately my 07, Honda, Foreman, 500cc, has blown up for the second time. So, I'm shopping for a new one. I can't decide if I want to stay with a Honda, or switch to a Yamaha Grizzly, or a Polaris Sportsman 550. I would like to stay with a mid size quad, but if the big bores are better, then which one do you recommend and why. I would like a quad that I can depend on...

I hunt all the western states and California's deserts. I also hunt/ride late and early seasons just about year round.

I have a Polaris sportsman 850, and I love it. I hauled out a lot of big Elk with it this year with it. Love the power of it too. I would recommend upgrading, you are messin with old technology with honda's. They are just now bragging about having independent suspension and everyone else has had that for more than a decade. I would upgrade personally

I've been thinking hard about the Polaris Sportsman 850, but not familier with them. The salesman at the dealership said they are the #1 selling quad right now. I did not know if that was a sales gimmic or if they were selling cause they are great! I asked if he owned one, he replied, "no," and said he did not hunt.. All my buddies and have always owned either Yamaha's and Honda's and they have done great, except for my last quad (Lemon). I agree that Honda has gotten left behind in the engineering department.

what happened to the honda? they usually run forever. my old 300 is still going bent frame and all!! guys i know with yamaha's are happy with them. I know the full independant suspension handles alot better then the old ones did. I would look at artic cat too if i was looking for new one. Never rode 1 but they look wide and stable with good clearance.

My poor Honda......well lets see where should I start. First off, let me say I luv Hondas!! my first was a used 1987 350 Foreman. Had that one for ten years before I sold it for a 2002, 350, Rancher. Then sold that one for the 07, Honda 500 Foreman. I never had a problem with my Honda's until then. Before all I had to do was just change oil, clean filter, and adjust the valves. When I bought the new 07, 500, Foreman, the first year I owned it the electric shifter (ES) broke and had to be replaced. It just stopped shifting gears during the hunting season. The shifter broke again a year later right before my Colorado trip, arge!

Then the gasket where the head meets the case blew! Found out all the case head screw threads stripped, so had to have them re-threaded with "Time serts." Recently, I learned the heat sensor broke and caused the head gasket to blow again! My mechanic advised, I buy a new quad or find a replacement engine. I still can't believe all the problems I've had with it.

My uncle and myself have both been riding newer Hondas for years, and have had multiple problems with both. His had the electronic shifter go out, then the tranny finally blew-up. My manual shift linkage broke, and the engine has required tuning twice. That being said, my 86 Big Red just went in the junk heap a couple years ago, and I love Hondas. Most problems with Hondas have been since they started using the electronic shift. Finally, unless you're doing a lot of trail riding with your quad, I wouldn't be too concerned if a particular model didn't have independent rear suspension. They're not as stable as a solid axle under a heavy load.

I have 2 quads, both Polaris. I bought a new Sportsman 500 in 2004. All I have ever done to it is change the oil & filter. I use it almost every day here on my place. It is a workhorse. Several years ago I helped pack out my neighbors cow elk with it. We used the winch to winch it up in a big pine tree, tied it off and then I backed under it and we loaded it (whole, just gutted) on the back rack. He sat on the front rack and away we went with the suspension bottomed out. Made it about 1/4 mile to the road and then back to the truck. Its one great machine!

I bought my wife an older 2 stroke Sportsman 400. It runs great too, just a little louder. She says it "stinks". We don't hunt with either of our quads, just use them to get where we hunt and walk from there. We also do a lot of riding in the summer. I recommend Polaris highly. The only advice I have is ...don't buy something bigger than you really need. I agonized over mine when I bought the 500. Should I get the 700 or the 500? One of my friends bought a Honda 750 and we do a lot of riding together. Yes it's faster, but it also uses almost twice as much fuel as I do. If I can carry out a whole elk and 2 hunters, why do I need anything bigger!

Colorado Cowboy
Cowboy Action Shooter; Endowment Life Member-NRA
The Original Rocket Scientist-Retired
"My Father always considered a walk in the mountains as the equivalent of church going."
Aldous Huxley

I have a Yamaha Kodiak 450. My hunting partner has a Grizz 660. The Kodiak will out perform the Grizz. The real only difference is the Grizz has more power but we have never been able to go or do anything with the Grizz that I couldn't do with the Kodiak.